1st Year College Kid: Kurosaki Karin
by Kris2495
Summary: Kurosaki Karin is transitioning into university life. She's committed to life at Todai, but she'll get side-tracked along the way. boys, soccer, school and..LIFE! She'll meet new people and maybe even find love. First fic, haven't decided if this'll be a HitsuKarin or not. Possible Renji/Karin. I promise a better summary once this story really kicks off!
1. Chapter 1

Karin was in her tiny one-bedroom student apartment when her phone began to buzz. One hour. All she asked was that humanity leave her alone for ONE HOUR. She had a mid-term tomorrow for goodness sake! Kurosaki Karin was a full-time student in her first semester at Tokyo University where she majored in Biology and was a rookie center forward on the women's soccer team. Although Karin remained at the top of her class while playing for her high school team, transitioning into university life academically and athletically was proving to be more than challenging.

Twelve hours to test time and Karin was solely focused on her studies. She had been living, eating and breathing Biology 1301 for the last 36 hours and nothing was going to stop her from acing this test. She even considered skipping her evening practice, but decided the exercise would make her more alert while giving her brain some time to cool off. She valued, if not gushed over, the opportunity to have a spot on the Todai women's soccer team, but school was what she needed to focus on. Coming in from a small town like Karakura, everyone expected her to crash and burn at Tokyo's most prestigious university. She was going to prove them wrong by achieving a respectable GPA and a starting position on the soccer team.

Karin knew that her goals were sky high, but she also knew they were possible. She knew it wasn't an easy feat, and she wasn't expecting anything to be handed out to her. That was the thing about Karin, she knew she had to put in work to get what she wanted, she was raised on it. Her thoughts then traveled to her father, Kurosaki Isshin, he was born and raised in a small village somewhere in East Asia, but found a way to backpack to Karakura where he started his new life as a broke college kid trying to get a full-ride to medical school. He worked hard and was able to obtain his doctorate. Then, after a long shift as a first year intern, he decided to walk to a nearby food stand and was run off the sidewalk by a drunk bicyclist. He woke up in the hospital with a head injury that was being tended to by a volunteer nurse two years his junior named Ayatori Masaki. They were married two months later, but didn't begin their family till after Isshin was halfway into his first year of residency over at Karakura general. After the birth of Karin's big brother Ichigo, Masaki decided to remain at home while Isshin focused on his career as a new surgeon. Isshin wanted to have his own practice one day, but upon the arrival of his twin girls, the dream was pushed into the back of his mind and he took a job as the chief of surgery at a small hospital in Karakura.

Karin was older than her sister Yuzu by just two minutes, but to all the Kurosaki's, Yuzu would forever be the baby. She was very much the polar opposite of Karin. Yuzu was very soft-hearted and enjoyed spending her days in the kitchen or locked in her room with a romance manga. Karin on the other hand enjoyed being out on the soccer field, rough housing, or in a library studying for her next exam. All thoughts of her family were then interrupted by a second buzz from her cell phone. '_Damn, who could it be? Oh, Yuzu? She's usually at work right about now._' She quickly unlocked her phone and scrolled to the text from her sister. '''Oh, Karin, you'll never guess who just walked into the cafe! It's your favorite soccer player, Abarai Renji! You have to get here, now!''' Karin's heart stopped. '_The Abarai Renji? At Yuzu's part-time apprenticeship?!_' She slowed her breathing and began collecting her thoughts. '_Okay, Karin, if you leave now you'll be there before he gets his food. You can get a quick autograph, snap a quick photo, and come right back home!_' With a quick "Hn" of acknowledgement she grabbed her keys and bolted to the stairs of her building.

Upon reaching her car, Karin took a deep breath and put her key into the ignition. "C'mon baby, I know it's cold outside, but we've got somewhere to be!" she cooed as her '06 Wrangler hummed. Karin then put her in drive and made her way to the busiest cafe in town. The traffic was light and sooner than Karin thought possible, she found herself parked in front of 'Splendid Delights' where Yuzu was working under a prestigious baker/chef extraordinaire by the name of Ukitake Jushiro. Collecting herself mentally and emotionally Karin began to look herself over. She was wearing a large 'Todai Soccer' hoodie, black leggings, and her Nike free runs. Her long black hair was pulled up and styled after her biggest role model, Shihoin Yoruichi. After applying a touch of concealer under her eyes and giving herself a quick pinch to the cheeks she gave herself a nod of approval and entered the cafe.

Accompanying the tinkling of a bell, Karin heard: "Konnichiwa, welcome to Splend—oh, Karin-chan, you're here!" along with soft music and then her twins footsteps. "Yo, Yuzu" Karin replied as she began scanning all the tables for that mess of red hair she'd only seen up close on instant replay. Karin let out a soft sigh and turned to her twin with a questioning frown. Yuzu gave her a small smile along with a "Gomen, Karin-chan, but Abarai-San took a phone call outside and I lost track of him." Karin sighed and walked over to her usual booth in the back of the restaurant. Shortly after, Yuzu arrived with a small hot chocolate and a fresh brownie topped with mint chocolate-chip ice cream. Karin began to eat her pity brownie with one hand and regardlessly dig though her bag with the other. She finally made contact with her phone and tried to pull it out. This of course resulted in her bag falling over and spilling half of its contents onto the floor. Karin grunted in annoyance before dipping under the table and gathering her belongings. After popping back up with an armful of stuff, she began packing it all back in. She then lifted the last item collected from the floor and stared at in confusion. A wallet. A man's wallet. She began to open the wallet when she heard a disturbance towards the front of the cafe.

The double doors of the cafe burst open and there he was. Abarai Renji, the captain of Japan's national soccer team. Karin was in the middle of getting the guts to approach him for an autograph when they locked eyes and he began walking towards her. Said guts immediately vanished as she sunk into her chair and stared into his crazy eyes in disbelief. '_Oh my Kami, why is Abarai Renji coming over here? Is he actually coming towards me? Am I dreaming?_' Karin thought as he came to a stop in front of her. His intense stare quickly faded into relief, hesitance and a nervous blush as he pointed to her hands and said "Eto, excuse me, miss, but I believe that's my wallet you've got clutched in your hands." Karin's breath hitched as she too looked to her hands and noticed they were indeed clutching his wallet. Karin then got to her feet and shouted "Oh my Kami, its you! A-Abarai Renji! Wow, I'm you're biggest fan, can I please have your autograph?!" A glint of surprise crossed his face before he smiled and said "How about I make you a deal? An autograph for a wallet?" Karin gasped when she realized she still had his wallet clutched tightly in her hands. She freaked and thrust her hands out accidentally hitting Renji in the face.

"Ano, have I mentioned how sorry I am?" Karin said as she pressed the pack of ice onto Renji's slightly pink jaw. The two were in the back kitchen area of the cafe after being cleared by Yuzu and Ukitake-San. "Eto, only about a hundred times" chuckled Renji from his place on the counter. Karin blushed, stepping away, and then stammered out "Gomen, Abarai-San, but I was just so excited to see you and-and.." she trailed. Renji smiled as he slid off the counter and said "It was an honest mistake—ano?" "Karin. Kurosaki Karin. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Abarai-San" she replied going into a slight bow. Renji smiled before shifting into an awkward bow himself saying "Please, Renji is fine, Kurosaki-San." Karin was sure she was red as a tomato, but that didn't stop her from choking out "only if you call me Karin, Abarai-San." He smiled. After shifting back into a somewhat relaxed stance, the two stared at each other intently. The silence was killing her, but then he spoke. "Eto, Karin-Chan, I know we're strangers, but-are you hungry?" Karin froze. "EH?!" Renji's face showed the signs of a slight blush. "I mean, I'm hungry, and we're in a restaurant—I just figured that if you're hungry too, maybe we could eat together." Karin's mind shut down. She could not believe Abarai Renji was asking her to eat with him. Her answer was cut off by the incessant beeping of her phone.

"Damn" muttered Karin as she switched off the alarm meant to tell her to high-tail it home and hit the books. She looked up to see Renji's hopeful face, and sighed. "Gomen, Aba-ano, Renji. I have a huge mid-term tomorrow and I've already used up more time than I had for studying." Renji's smile shifted to a frown, but Karin quickly bowed and turned to leave with a weight settling in her. Almost to the door, she was stopped by a shy voice. "Karin-Chan, sorry, but I can't let you leave without your autograph. We had a deal." She turned around with stars in her eyes, because she completely forgot what she came for! She began fumbling in her bag for a piece of paper when he took hold of her hand. After scribbling on her palm he ruffled her hair and walked out with a smile. When she could no longer hear him chuckling she turned her palm over. Signed in sharpie on Kurosaki Karin's left palm was Abarai Renji's name, along with a 10-digit phone number.

A/N:

This is my first time writing for anyone but myself...but I love constructive criticism! Also, I need some help! I meant for this to be a Hitsukarin fic, but Renji like popped into my head and now he's part of the story. I haven't decided if he'll stay in Karin's life or not. She's definitely going to meet Hitsugaya soon and there will be a major connection between the two, but idk if they'll be paired yet. Also, in regards to other characters...idk if i should have a slight IchRuki or IchiHime, help me out! I used to be straight IchiHime, but there are just too many good hitsukarin's out there with awesome IchiRuki, lmk what y'all would prefer. ALSO, should Hitsugaya be a professor, a student, or just someone that has nothing to do with Karin's school? feedback is appreciated, can't wait to see if people like this or not!


	2. Chapter 2

I DONT OWN BLEACH. whoops.

"Kyaaaaaaaa~ Karin-chan! Was that what I think it was? Oh, how cool! Abarai Renji just gave you his number. You've GOT to call him!"

Looking back, Karin's pretty sure she heard those words fall from her sisters mouth, but if we're being honest, all she heard was her heart thrumming inside of her mind. One moment she was staring at her palm, and the next she was running out of the cafe like a bullet from a barrel.

With the cold air beating against her face, she began her search for Renji. After squinting a bit, she noticed his retreating form near the end of the parking lot. She cupped her hands to her mouth and shouted "Oi—RENJI!" as loud as she could. Renji startled when he heard his name, but didn't turn around until he heard panting and approaching foot steps. He'd be a liar if he said he wasn't shocked to see Kurosaki Karin hunched over behind his bike.

"Karin—was there something you need—mfphhh-O-Oi!" Renji started, but couldn't finish as he was interrupted by Karin placing her arms on his chest and giving him an ample shove. Quickly recovering he stared at the obsidian haired girl in confusion. He quirked an eyebrow when he noticed the girl was quite flushed.

Huffing, Karin turned around and began walking away. That is, until she heard Renji sputter. "Oi, what the hell was that for?!" She turned right back around and marched up to Renji with fire in her eyes. When she was met with Renji's chest she looked straight up, into his eyes, and glared.

"If you think I'm the kind of girl you can just scribble some number to and leave hanging in a cafe, Ch—you are wrong, Abarai-san!" she spat his name in a sarcastic tone he was sure he'd be hearing a lot in the near future.

Renji stared down at her in shock and embarrassment. Did she not realize how close they were? He was painfully aware that with every breath she took, her chest was brushing up against his upper torso. Blushing, Renji stepped back with his hands up in surrender.

"Listen, Karin, I didn't mean to offend you in any—itaiii, stop hitting me, woman!" Renji scowled as he rubbed his arm.

"Well, maybe if you stopped treating me like some run of the mill FAN GIRL I wouldn't have to hit you, BAKA!" Karin seethed as Renji stared at her in shock and maybe a hint of surprise.

With a huff of annoyance, Karin turned around and stomped off to her car. Little did she know, Renji watched her go with a look of complete awe etched upon his face.

'The nerve of that guy' she thought. 'And to think I actually looked up to him! Pfft, as if!' With one last grunt of annoyance, she swings into her jeep and puts the key into ignition. When her car doesn't start, she sighs as her eyes shut and she lays her head down on the wheel. She gives the key a few more turns, but is met with only disappointment and a nasty sound coming from her poor jeep.

Karin sits in silence as she contemplates her next move. Ichigo isn't exactly close, but calling her Dad would just be painful. He would act like a complete freak and bawl over his poor Karin-chan having car trouble without her Otou-chan looking out for her. She would hate to pull Yuzu away from work… "Baka-Oyajii" she murmurs as she reaches for her phone.

Karin is scrolling through her contacts when there is a slight tap on her window. Her eyes widen when she locks eyes with Abarai Renji. He's standing beside her window and maybe its the cold, but she's almost positive she can make out a slight blush dusting across his cheeks. Against her better judgement, she decides to roll down the window.

Renji stares a moment too long, as if he wasn't sure she'd lower the window at all. She's about to roll the window back up when he stops her.

"Matte Karin—Ano, I-I'm sorry...for how I came off...back inside the cafe. I'm really not that guy…and I'm sorry if I made you feel like—just some fan girl."

Karin stared at him. She didn't like how unsure he made her feel. This morning she thought of him as a soccer god, even more so when they met. But then, he came off as arrogant when he wordlessly slipped her his number as if expecting her to head to the nearest phone and call him up. At least, that's what she thought. Now, not so much. Maybe, possibly, she misunderstood him? Still unsure, Karin gave him a nod and began to roll her window back up.

Again, she was stopped by Renji. She cut him a quick glare that soon melted when she saw his stare softening towards her. "Nani?" she softly asked.

"Eto—I was just wondering...if you'd like me to take a look under your hood?" Karin sputtered and he soon realized how he may have sounded. Quick to recover he then added "I mean, I saw you having car trouble, and I thought I could take a look for you. My dad taught me a lot about cars." Renji saw her face shift to curiosity at that last sentence he hastily choked out as he too wondered why he said that. He wasn't one to talk about his private life with practically strangers.

Karin was about to open her mouth and decline when Renji cut her off in a soft, but reassuring tone. "Just pop the hood, Karin-_chan_." She growled in annoyance, but did as she was told. After a few minutes of Renji inspecting her engine and what not, he closed it up and walked back over to her window.

"Well?" she asked. Renji took his time answering her. He began wiping the oil and residue from his hands onto his jeans. Then, he looked up at her and said "Well, Karin, it seems you're in need of a new engine." She choked.

"NANIII?!" She was in the middle of freaking out when she heard Renji's soft chuckle.

"Baaaka. Your engine is fine, it's just that your battery is dead." He backs away slowly from the glare she sends his way. She sighs and thanks him for trying. He leans up against the car parked a few feet away from her and smiles. She tries convincing herself that she doesn't find this act…_cute_. It's not. Really.

"Mahh, it's the least I could do after upsetting you." Karin is about to send him an angry retort when he cuts her off.

"Nehh, Karin…do you think—maybe we could start over? I think we got off on the wrong foot back there."

Karin pauses. She look into his eyes for any traces of insincerity. After concluding that he's telling the truth, her gaze softens, and she nods in agreement. "Mmm, consider all that other stuff forgotten. Thank you for your help, Renji"

She gets out of the car and begins to head back towards the cafe with every intention of calling her Dad. However, when she gets inside, she is bombarded with questions by Yuzu.

"Karin-chan, you're back! What happened? Did you find Abarai-san? Did you give him your number? Tell me everything!"

"Mou, calm down Yuzu. Yes, I found him, but that's not the problem. My jeep won't start. That's the problem. The damn battery is dead. Damn."

Karin is running a hand through her hair in frustration when Renji walks back in. She notices him only after Yuzu grins and nudges her in the side. Karin doesn't know what to say when Yuzu jumps in. Or rather, noses into her affairs.

"Konnichiwa, Abarai-san. Is there anything I can do for you?" she asks with a mischievous glance.

Renji shifts uncomfortably. "No, thank you." Then, he turned to Karin. "I was actually coming to see about you. Eto—I was wondering..if maybe I could give you a ride home?" he asks nervously.

Karin flushes. 'Abarai Renji wants to give me a ride home? why?' Before she could decline or even ask why, Yuzu chimes in.

"She'd love that! Arigato ne, Abarai-san!" she winks at him and playfully shoves him and Karin out the door. "Don't worry, Karin-chan, I'll call Otou-san and Onii-chan to come take care of your jeep! Gambatte." she whispers just low enough for Karin to hear.

After being usher out of the warm establishment, she looks to Renji.

He grins.

**A big thanks to Kari Izumi. I've had this chapter ready for about two weeks, but I just got so caught up in everything else (read:life) that I forgot. I promise to be committed to this story, and others, from here on out! That being said, I hope you enjoy this chapter! I know it's not lengthy, but I promise i'll improve! I'm a novice writer, so any constructive criticism is greatly appreciated! The next installment is already in the works!**

**P.s. to those confused about the reality/universe. Its meant to be Japan, but seeing as I'm not too familiar with actual Japan, you're going to be seeing brands like Jeep, Nike, etc. Also, I know she could have just gotten a jump, but let's just pretend that, at the moment, Renji giving her a ride home was the only option. **


	3. Chapter 3

**If I owned Bleach, Karin would have been there during the battle with Aizen. Keigo and Mizuiro were there. Tatsuki was there. WHY THE HECK WASN'T KARIN THERE? I don't own Bleach. Also, I'm trying to play with/understand view points here. I hope it's okay.**

Much to Renji's dismay, the grin was wiped clean off his face as several cameras began to flash around them. He instinctively raised his arm to shield his eyes from the blinding lights. Karin, on the other hand, was completely caught off-guard and found herself trapped in a slight daze.

Slightly nauseous, Karin turned to Renji in confusion. Acting quickly, he held his hand out to her and whispered "trust me," before he bolted through the crowd of paparazzi.

As this was Karin's first run in with the paparazzi, and she had no other options, she simply placed her smaller hand into his much larger one, shut her eyes, and tried to keep up.

Her eyes fluttered open as Renji quickly led her across the parking lot. She found herself staring at the back of Renji's brown leather jacket and their conjoined hands. She was about to yank her hand free when he looked over his shoulder. Karin sputtered. '_Why does he look so happy? He's grinning._' She didn't have much time to ponder as he came to an abrupt halt and turned to her saying "jump on, and don't let go!"

Karin froze, because it was at this exact moment she noticed Renji rode a motorcycle. She wasn't scared. She'd just never been on one before. She must have looked startled, because he paused after removing a helmet from the handlebar and turned towards her.

"Is something wrong, Karin?" He was holding the helmet out towards her and his expression told her that he was genuinely concerned about her well-being. She took the helmet from him, and smiled.

"No, I was just surprised is all." she said.

Her smile faded when she realized this was the only helmet. She frowned at him in confusion. This was his helmet. She was about to inquire about the situation when he cut her off.

"Come on, Karin. You can trust me." She would have argued against him, but she could already see the group of paparazzi making their way towards them in her peripheral.

She continued to wonder as Renji mounted his bike. The paparazzi were getting pretty close.

Throwing caution to the wind, she climbed on and wrapped her arms around Renji's torso. Renji grinned as he turned the key into ignition and the bike roared to life.

"Don't let go" he murmured as he backed out of his makeshift parking space.

"mm" she murmured into his jacket as they sped off. She didn't look back.

I'm a line.

Renji pulled over in a small empty lot a few miles down the road. Karin was a bit confused as she slowly dismounted from the bike. There were a few alleys to her right, and routes headed back to the inner city on her left.

"Okay. If you were plotting to kill me, then I would have appreciated some place with a little more scenery." she said only half-joking.

Renji chuckled and began walking towards the alley ways. They weren't creepy I'm-going-to-murder-you alley ways. They were well lit and seemed to be the result of small apartment buildings built too close to each other.

When he didn't hear her footsteps he turned towards her. She had a questioning frown on her face and wasn't quite meeting his gaze. She was scanning her surroundings with what he thought was distaste, but then realized was only guarded curiosity. Finally, she met his gaze.

"Where are we, Renji?" she asked.

"Eto—the first place I could think of. Come on, don't you trust me?" He held out his hand as if repeating the question.

"No." Karin smirked as she placed her hand into his.

As they made their way through the alley ways, Karin slightly behind him, she tried to control her breathing. On the outside she was cool as a cucumber, but on the inside she was FREAKING out.

'_I'm holding hands with a boy_.' she thought to herself. '_I'm holding hands with Abarai Renji_.' Then, another voice spoke. '_Cool it Karin, he's just guiding you through the alley way. It's not like he's into you_.' Karin continued to argue with herself when Renji stopped.

She failed to register this and ended up bumping right into him.

"mmpfh—oh, Gomen." Karin muttered as she stepped forwards to stand beside him. What she saw made her breath hitch.

They were standing in the entry way of a quaint shopping district and all Karin could think of was the local town square back home. There were small boutiques, attractions, and ramen carts along with other food stalls. The wooden arch above them said "Tokyo West Pointe." It was really nice, but you wouldn't notice it unless you were looking for it. It was small. Cozy.

And just like that, everything changed.

Renji saw the smile of contentment tug at the corners of her mouth and couldn't help but smile to himself. He quickly turned his head to avoid suspicion. Also, because this pretty girl's mouth was the last place he needed to be looking right now.

Karin must have noticed something, because she stepped in front of him blocking his way.

"Renji." She smiled up at him.

"—Nani?" He replied as he subconsciously quirked an eyebrow.

"I'm hungry." She beamed up at him.

I'm a line.

Renji looked surprised before he grinned and started walking towards his favorite place. He didn't let go of her hand until he walked into a small restaurant.

Karin noticed the absence of Renji's warmth around her dainty hand, but she pushed it to the back of her mind as she inhaled the sweet, sweet scent of baking melon bread.

Renji walked up to the hostess stand just as a familiar pair of violet eyes looked up.

"Yo, Renji." greeted Kuchiki Rukia with a nod.

"Good evening, Rukia." replied Renji with a smile that may have been a tad too soft.

Karin watched the interaction from just a few paces behind Renji with curious eyes. She noticed the way Renji's whole demeanor completely shifted when greeting this 'Rukia.' This petite, raven-haired girl with striking violet eyes. He was even leaning against her hostess stand.

Not that she really cared, of course. Renji and Karin were what, acquaintances at best? He could be friends with whoever he so pleased.

"Usual spot on the counter, Renji?" assumed Rukia.

Renji looked back to Karin and she decided her shoes were very interesting. As she bent her ankles to the sides and stood there avoiding his gaze, she missed the softening of his own.

At this moment, Renji looked back at Rukia and said "No, I think we'll take a booth."

Karin looked up at this and locked eyes with Rukia. Said girl fixed Karin with a stare. The stare was neither rude nor challenging, but it was definitely hard, and focused. As if Rukia were studying Karin through her eyes.

"Sou." she said as she grabbed two menu's and headed towards the back of the small restaurant.

After being seated and giving their drink orders, the two stared at each other.

It was beginning to get awkward when a warm, gentle voice spoke.

"I heard my favorite customer was here." said the voice. Karin looked up and was met with the warmest pair of steel-blue eyes she'd ever seen. The smiling newcomer was a tall, slim lady dressed in a plain blue kimono. She had long black hair braided to the side and seemed to radiate a soft, welcoming glow. Karin immediately took a liking to this kind soul.

"You say that to everyone, Unohana-san." renji chuckled.

"Oh, yes, but I only ever mean it when I'm speaking with you Abarai-kun." Unohana-san replied just as quick and with that same warm smile.

Renji rolled his eyes, but Karin could tell it was only jokingly and she could tell this was usual banter for the pair.

Karin smiled and looked to Unohana-san for a reaction, but found herself making eye-contact with the kind older woman.

Unohana-san then turned to Renji as if urging him to introduce the two. He seemed kind of nervous, and Karin could see that the two were having a silent battle. Then she noticed that Unohana-san's sweet smile turned a little demanding. Karin got the feeling Unohana-san wasn't someone you could just say "no" to.

Karin's thoughts were confirmed when Unohana tilted her head, continuing to smile at Renji. His eyes widened and he looked at her sheepishly. Then he turned.

"Unohana-san, this is my friend. Kurosaki Karin." he said as he motioned to Karin.

"Karin, this is Unohana Retsu. She—well she owns the place." he said.

Karin stood from her seat and bowed.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Unohana-san." Unohana smiled sweetly at the girl.

"Likewise, Kurosaki-san." she said as she placed a hand on Karin's shoulder, signaling her to relax.

Karin smiled at the older woman. "Please, Karin is fine."

"Hai." Unohana replied. Then, her smile turned to Renji.

"Neh, Abarai-kun. I do believe this is the first time you've brought a guest to my establishment, and a pretty girl at that." Unohana teased as the tip of Renji's ears darkened.

Karin could feel the heat from the blush dusting across her cheeks. Eyes wide she looked to Renji. He was just as embarrassed as she was.

"Mou, Unohana-san, that's no fair. Karin and I are friends. We just met in fact." he tried to recover. Karin found herself wanting to nod in reply, but Unohana beat her to it.

"Oya-oya, and you're already on a first name basis? And you're buying her dinner? How bold of you, Abarai-kun." Unohana chided with a mischievous glint in her eye.

By this point, Karin was sure her face had caught fire and Renji's was giving his hair competition. The table was silent until Unohana gave a soft, gentle chuckle. A tinkle of laughter, really.

"Alright, I've had my fun, what can I get for you two?" she said reverting back to her usual sweet smile

After putting in her order of Soba noodles and vegetable tempura, Karin quickly excused herself to the ladies room.

I'm a line.

After washing her hands, Karin closed her eyes and splashed water onto her face. The water was cool and refreshing on her still warm cheeks. _'He's never brought anyone here. So why would he bring me_?' thought Karin. She sighed and looked up into the mirror.

Karin's eyes widened only a fraction as she locked eyes with the small hostess.

"Kuchiki Rukia." said girl announced.

"Kurosaki Karin." she replied as she met Rukia's cold stare in the mirrors reflection.

A minute of silence passed before Karin decided to turn around and face Rukia. The two continued to size each other up before Karin spoke.

"Was there something you needed, Kuchiki-san?" she asked in a neutral tone.

Rukia opened her mouth, but then quickly shut it. The hostess then turned on her heel and walked out the door.

Karin shrugged and returned to the table, unsure of her feelings on the encounter.

I'm a line.

Karin returned to her seat just as a waitress arrived with their food. Her mouth started to water as the steam rose off her soba dish. She could see that her soba noodles were complimented with a large helping of steamed broccoli and beef and her vegetable tempura looked deep-fried to perfection. She couldn't help but grin and mutter a quick "Itadakimasu," before digging in.

Karin was happily chowing down on her food when she felt a pair of eyes on her. She looked up and saw Renji looking at her in amusement. She froze, chopsticks in hand.

"What?" she asked him in annoyance? She didn't like it when people stared at her as she ate.

"Nothing." Renji stated. "I was just shocked is all. It's not everyday you see a girl with an appetite."

Karin flushed when she realized how she must look. She couldn't help being an athlete with a high metabolism. Anger was about to overcome embarrassment when Renji realized his slip up and quickly made to recover. This of course led to nervous rambling and fiddling with is chop sticks.

"Eto—Don't get me wrong. I mean, it's nice. I can't stand girls who don't eat. Why have half a salad, when you can have a bowl of ramen with chicken and vegetables, or kushiyaki with tempura—!" Renji would have kept going, but Karin interrupted him when she started giggling.

I'm a line.

Renji froze before slowly looking up. Suddenly, his heart started to beat just a little bit faster. Kurosaki Karin was slightly hunched over the table across from him. Her eyes were closed and she had her arms wrapped around herself as she giggled uncontrollably. Not only was the sound, for lack of a better word, adorable, but she had the slightest dusting of pink across her cheeks and Renji knew. He was in trouble.

I'm a line.

Karin was finally able to calm herself as she took a few sips of her water. She finally looked up at Renji with a large smile and said "Let's just eat, Renji."

"Aa—" he replied. He looked at her a moment longer before muttering "Itadakimasu" and beginning his meal.

A few minutes into the continuation of their meal, Karin broke the silence.

"This is really good, Renji. Too good, and it was prepared so quickly." she said.

"Hai, Unohana-san usually places my orders on the top." he said, gaze softening at the mention of the older woman.

"Sou ka, one of the many perks to being one of Japans National Soccer players I suppose?" she inferred.

Renji paused. "Iie—she's been doing it since I was a boy. I grew up around here actually. In one of the apartments we passed by."

Karin wondered why he was sharing such personal information with her, a complete stranger. She didn't know him well, but something told her that he was a private person. Renji seemed to be wondering the same thing, because neither of them said anything.

They ate in a comfortable silence after that. When they were done eating, Rukia wordlessly placed the bill on the table before walking off. Karin was reaching for her bag when Renji stopped her. She looked at him in confusion as he pulled his wallet out of the inside pocket of his jacket and placed 2500 yen on the table.

She was going to protest, when he cut her off.

"Come on Karin, my treat." he said.

She contemplated protesting further, but decided against it. She nodded and they both rose to their feet.

They left the establishment after wishing Unohana-san well and promising to return. Karin didn't fail to notice that when she continued speaking with Unohana-san, Renji took a few steps to the side and began speaking animatedly with Kuchiki Rukia. By the time she assured Unohana-san that she would tell all of her soccer mates about her delicious Soba noodles, Renji was waiting for her by the door.

I'm a line.

They were aimlessly walking passed the stalls to the more secluded area of the shopping district when Karin stopped and turned towards Renji. He stopped as well.

"Renji, why are you hanging out with me? We're practically strangers. I've obviously heard of you, but you never even knew I existed before today."

He thought about this for a moment before he answered. "I'm hanging out with you, because you intrigue me Kurosaki Karin. You're unlike other fans I've ever met."

Karin's mouth twitched at the word fan.

"I don't say that to make you feel like a fan girl, but—I took an interest in you the moment you hit me in the face with your tiny fist. But, does it really matter? Why can't we just be two people getting to know each other?" Renji added rather calmly.

She smiled at this and they started moving forward again. "Okay then, let's get to know each other. First things first—"

"Nope, I get to go first. It's only right seeing as I paid for dinner." Renji cut in.

"Oii—nobody asked you to pay for my—you know what, okay. Ask away." she replied defensively.

"Yoshh." he replied.

He led her to a small wooden picnic table before he continued. "Well, for starters, where are you from?"

Karin smiled at the question. He noticed the far off look she got in her eyes as she answered. "Karakura town. It's a small town that you've probably never heard of. It's not so small that its not on a map, but everyone is semi-familiar with everyone else. I've lived there my whole life, but I moved up here for school and soccer just this year." she answered.

"Oh, and where do you go to school?" he asked.

"Oh, no you don't. It's definitely my turn." she smirked.

"Hai—hai." he easily agreed.

"How did you get started with soccer?" she inferred.

He thought about this question for a while. She almost thought he wasn't going to answer, when he finally replied.

"It was actually Unohana-san that got me around to the idea." he started.

"Unohana-san? Really?" she questioned.

"Aa—you see, I used to get into a bit of trouble when I was a kid. I was messed with a lot because of the color of my hair." He looked at her to gauge her reaction. He was a little surprised to see that she seemed to understand.

"Sou ka, my older brother used to have the same problem." she said, nonchalantly urging him with her eyes to finish the answer.

"Oh, so you have an older brother?" he asked.

"Haha, nice try." she smirked.

"Eto—you caught me. Let's see...I was actually in a spot of trouble when Unohana-san found me. I was fighting with a group of guys who thought I was challenging their leader who also had red hair, though his was dyed. Anyway, Unohana-san swooped in and scared them off. That was the first time I had ever seen gang members back off without violence. She walked off after that, but not without telling me I needed to be lighter on my feet. She said that my footwork needed work. I was so angry, I started training with a soccer ball. Been playing ever since" he finished.

"Wow." Karin uttered in shock.

"You're really lucky to have her then. I mean just that chance encounter, it changed your whole life." she continued.

"Aa—but, enough about me. What about you? You mentioned soccer and school?" he asked to lighten the atmosphere.

"Oh—mm. I'm a first year at Todai. I'm also a rookie center forward on the women's soccer team." she paused. "You're alumni, aren't you? I mean, I read once in a magazine, but I wasn't sure."

"Class of 13." he smirked.

The conversation then turned to soccer, life at Todai and various other subjects.

Before they knew it, the stars were brighter and the moon fuller. Also, it was very quiet. As if they were alone in the whole square…and so they were. They hadn't paid attention to any time-pieces throughout the night, but there was just a moment of realization. A moment where Karin checked her phone and Renji his watch. Then, they both gasped in that realization. A soft inhale for that one moment.

linelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelineline

After a silent ride back into the city, they found themselves in the parking lot of Karin's student apartment. Karin dismounted slowly and began to pull off the helmet. However, it was proving to be very difficult. Renji noticed her struggle and he dismounted the bike, chuckling to himself.

"Relax." he stated simply.

Karin huffed and crossed her arms. He placed his hands on either side of the helmet, and gently removed it. Karin's pony tail was a little loose from wearing the helmet, but he didn't seem to notice.

'_Wow, she is a looker_.' Renji thought to himself as he took in Karin's slightly flushed cheeks and mussed up hair. He looked away when he realized Karin was watching him watch her. Karin was curious as to why he was staring at her like that, but she couldn't say that she minded his gaze.

'_He's so tall. And his chest, don't get me started on his chest. He's perfect._' she thought to herself. Her grey eyes widened when she realized what she was thinking and what her thoughts implied. Karin also looked to the side. She wasn't into him. She couldn't be. He was practically a stranger.

Well, after tonight, maybe he wasn't. They were a far cry from being a couple, but maybe they were friends now?

Had Renji not looked away, he would have seen Karin's thoughts play out on her face. However, he was too busy having the same mental discussion.

The two finally made eye contact when Karin spoke.

"It's pretty late. I should get inside. Thanks for tonight, Renji. And I really appreciate the lift home." she said with a small smile.

Renji didn't reply. He was still staring at her, as if mesmerized. It made her quite nervous.

"Well, I'll see you around Renji." Karin said as she turned around and raised her hand to wave in acknowledgment. She didn't get very far before Renji grabbed her hand and turned her around.

And then his lips were on hers. It was a sweet, gentle kiss. Truly, a chaste brush of the lips. At least, that's how it started.

Initially, Karin stood still. Her eyes grew wide, and she'd never admit it, but she made the tiniest of sounds. A squeak, really.

'_Oh, so this is what lips feel like._' she thought to herself as her eyes slid shut. Then, as if making a decision, she stood on her tip toes. Renji noticed her attempt to deepen the kiss, and placed a hand on her hip.

They broke apart when the need for air overcame them. Eyes opening slowly, the two stared at each other intently. Then, as if coming to their senses, they took one large step back.

With flushed faces, Karin and Renji looked at each other. Renji was the first to break the silence.

"Gomen, Karin. That was way too forward of me. I don't know what came over me." he apologized.

"I really don't know why I did that. I shouldn't have forced that on you…I—" he trailed off.

As he was speaking, Karin thought to herself. '_I lost my first kiss. I can't complain, I mean it was with Abarai Renji. It could be a lot worse. He may be a new presence in my life, but I could see myself cari—wait, caring for him? Get a grip Karin, he just said he didn't know what came over him_.'

"No, don't worry about it Renji. It's okay, really." she soothed.

Karin didn't really know what else to say. If any other guy had tried it, he'd be on his ass already and probably thoroughly cursed out. But, Renji wasn't just some other guy. She didn't know how she felt about him yet. He was truly an enigma.

They continued to stare at each other until Karin sneezed. Renji finally looked at her in something other than embarrassment.

"You should get inside, Karin. It's starting to get pretty bad out here." he told her with a look of concern etched upon his face

"—hai." replied Karin, still unsure.

She gently swayed on her feet when he spoke again.

"O—oyasumi" he said nervously.

Karin felt warm inside. So warm, that she reached into her bag for something to write on. Discovering an old carry-out receipt she quickly wrote her number down and slipped it into Renji's hand.

"Oyasumi—Renji-kun." she said before turning and making her way to the stairwell of her second story apartment.

linelinelinelinelinelielinelinelineline

Renji watched her go in utter shock. His heart must have skipped a beat. There was no way he imagined that sharp Th-thud in his ears before it returned to normal.

_'__Oyasumi—Renji-kun._

_Renji-kun._

_-kun_.'

He was sure his ears were bright red. Then he looked into his hand and saw her number. He could feel heat rolling off him in waves. What cold front? There was a cold front, in April? No, surely not. Renji was simply bewildered as he slipped the receipt into his jacket pocket and mounted his bike. He thought of nothing but grey eyes and obsidian hair the whole ride home.

linelinelinelinelinelinelinelinelineline

Little did Renji know, that as soon as Karin got to the steps, she rushed into her apartment so she could see him go. She peered out of her kitchen window as Renji mounted his bike. She saw him rev the engine and disappear into the night.

Karin then walked into her room and shut the door. She couldn't help but smile like a fool as she slid onto the floor, back against the door. She brought her hands to her face and giggled dreamily. She was still smiling warmly when she looked at the clock on the small book-shelf a few feet away from her.

1:00 A.M.

_lovely._

**A/N:**

**Okay, I'm going to attempt to clear up any confusion I've caused. It's the middle of April in the story. Karin's just started school within the last couple of weeks. The 1st semester of school starts in April in Japan and goes through September with one break in late July0late August. That's summer break. The second semester is October through March with winter break in late December-early January. Then, after the 2nd semester is the longest of the breaks, It's late february to April. school starts again in April. **

**Also, Rukia isn't meant to be awful. I can't say too much without revealing anything, but don't count her out just yet. I didn't mean for her to come off as too challenging during the counter, but she's definitely hard and focused when sizing up Karin. I mean, that's Rukia when she's serious, right? maybe a little ooc, but I think Rukia can be pretty icy when she wants to be. Just know that I love Rukia, okay? Haha, i think that's all for now. I'm going to write chapter four tomorrow. I don't know when it will be posted. For sure within the next week though :)**

**Please review. I'd love to hear y'alls thoughts on my story. I love tips and constructive criticism especially from seasoned writers! I'm still a novice writer and I'd love to hear what you have to say! Or if you just want to comment your opinion on the story, that's cool too! **

**-kris**


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